Karen Becker
Karen Becker was back at a familiar spot Sunday morning as the new West Coast Kids store opened at Bayview Ave and Manor Road. It’s a familiar place for Karen because the new WCK premises are where she ran her successful business Moms-to-be-and-more for so many years. She has polished a reputation as the go-to lady in children’s clothes, general wares and furniture over 21 years with Moms. Now she has teamed with the friends she has known for many years to manage the new WCK store. CEO Robyn Moar and her mom, the founder of WCK, are in town with other staff to help get the store open. The Vancouver-based firm has six stores out west and has made the leap east with Karen Becker’s help. They have a real asset in Karen who was saying Sunday that she is going to keep standards high. “We built a great business and I think my being here is going to help maintain what we did, keep the customer service levels high and keep the product knowledge and staffing high.” The four-storefront lineup of space on Bayview is large. It will rival in size some stores found in smaller plazas. Upstairs is a breathtaking collection of furniture focussed mainly on children beds and cribs. On the street level there is an array of clothes, toys and functional infant and children’s accessories. Karen was also giving credit to Mom’s staff, some of whom have returned with her. She sees them as important in any plan to grow. Everyone recognises a move from West to East is difficult transition but as Karen says “They’re a growing company, so growing is growing.” The WCK on Bayview will be open Mon-Tues 10 until 6, Wed-Thurs 10 until 8, Fri and Sat 10 to 6 and Sunday 11-5.
